20 Camping Desserts That Are Easy To Take (and Make) Outdoors

With a little preparation, camping in the great outdoors doesn't have to mean roughing it with only basic sustenance to fill you. A glorious dessert can be whipped up over a campfire, cookstove or with no heat at all. Maybe it’s the crisp air, the crackle of the campfire or the joy of eating with slightly smoky hands — but camping desserts are their own kind of special. Whether you’re toasting marshmallows, unwrapping a foil packet or pulling out a Tupperware of something pre-made, these treats are designed to travel well and satisfy your sweet tooth when the sun goes down.

Imagine this fruity dessert as an individual portion of juicy, bubbling peach crisp. A couple of peach halves, sugar, oats and cinnamon get bundled up in foil and tossed on the grill for an ultra-easy dessert. The peaches caramelize as the topping gets golden, toasty and irresistible.

Bring along a small, fire-safe saucepan on your next camping trip to create a luscious chocolate and salted caramel fondue dessert that your family will remember for decades. Lay out a platter of fruit, cookies, marshmallows, pretzels (and anything else you can think of) for dipping. Added bonus: pour any leftover fondue into hot water or milk for instant hot chocolate.

A simple but brilliant swap can go far in creating a memorable camping dessert. Swap out graham crackers for chocolate sandwich cookies the next time you’re toasting marshmallows. Together, it creates a portable, playful and delicious new campfire tradition.

Peanut butter lovers will go crazy for these yummy strawberry bites. Spike a berry onto a sharp skewer, then roll it in peanut butter, marshmallow creme and crushed peanuts. Hold your stick over the fire until the marshmallow is slightly charred and enjoy.

Thick slices of apple get tossed with cinnamon sugar and grilled until tender over the dying fire embers. A crunchy oat crumble sprinkled on top adds a contrasting crunch to each bite. This versatile recipe can be adapted to use other fruit, like peaches, plums or cherries.

A ball of prepared pizza dough is minutes away from becoming a sweet dessert pizza if you have access to grill grates on your next camping trip. Lay the flattened dough on the grill and cook until baked and golden all over. Top with chocolate-hazelnut spread, sliced bananas, toasted coconut flakes, chopped nuts and dried fruit for a tropical-leaning dessert that can be customized any which way.

These easy, no-bake bars are a fun take on classic marshmallow cereal bars. Melt butter and marshmallows in a pan, then fold in chocolate squares, graham cracker cereal and colorful dehydrated marshmallows. Press into a pan and let set before cutting into squares and passing them out to hungry campers.

This clever trick uses hollowed-out oranges as personal baking vessels for gooey brownies. Nestle them into the coals and the brownies bake while picking up a subtle citrus perfume. It’s a fun, zero-waste way to whip up your favorite dish while enjoying the outdoors.

Why use graham crackers when you could use doughnuts? Dial up the deliciousness on this classic fireside dessert by using glazed doughnuts as the bread for your chocolate and roasted marshmallow sandwich. For a little extra flavor boost, top the chocolate squares with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

The sweet ice cream cones are packed with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and candy, then wrapped in foil and warmed over the fire. The result? A gooey, crunchy, melty mashup of s’more’s and sundae toppings that’s easy to hold in one hand.

An store-bought shortcake shell heated in a foil back with butter, brown sugar, and a pineapple ring can create a camping-friendly pineapple upside-down cake. Seal the deal with a maraschino cherry poked right in the middle. They’re sweet, tropical and a little retro in the best way.

Pack your trusty cast iron pan on your next camping trip and you can make a gooey, berry-stuffed bread pudding for dessert. Once the bread mixture is added to the pan, cover it with foil and place over indirect heat until the pudding is just set. To help yourself, pre-prep the wet and dry ingredients in separate containers at home and combine in the pan just before cooking.

If you love the nostalgia of s’mores but want to take it to the text level, try a few of these upgrades. First, replace store-bought marshmallows for a gooier homemade version. Next, lay out a delicious array of sliced strawberries, jelly, peanut butter, candy cups, graham crackers and sliced bananas for a DIY s’mores “bar” that will have everyone lining up to enjoy their own customized gourmet creation.

Freeze-dried strawberries, broken pecan pieces and coconut flakes melt into this yummy oat granola that cooks in a foil pack on the grill. A buttery maple syrup mixture holds the mixture together and hardens as the granola heats up. Is it breakfast or dessert? The answer is put o you.

All the flavors of a s’more, none of the campfire chaos. This make-ahead treat layers melted chocolate with crushed graham crackers and mini marshmallows for a bark that travels well and melts in your mouth. Break it into shards and pass it around for a crowd-pleasing, no-mess dessert.

Combine the best of both s’mores and chocolate fondue is this recipe that the kids will love. Skewer fresh strawberries, then dip half of each berry into marshmallow cream and toast over the fire until golden. Dip the uncovered half in melted chocolate and crushed graham crackers for an easy sweet treat that’s mess-free.

Fresh summer fruit is sweet enough to be dessert all on its own. Ripe plums and berries roast with just a touch of butter sugar, and crystalized ginger until soft and jammy. Eat them with ice cream, yogurt, or all on their own.

Take cereal bars full camp mode by using toasted marshmallows in the mix. These can be made in advance or right next to your warm campfire. A reusable silicone bag and your favorite breakfast cereal are the only items you need to complete this nostalgic treat.

Baking rich chocolate brownies over a campfire is foolproof with this simple recipe that’s totally fireside-friendly. The instructions lay out the basic how-to, like where to put your cast iron pan and how to mix the dry ingredients without a bowl. After a turn over the coals, you’ll have a gooey middle and crispy, crackly edges.